Detective Sergeant Randy McAlister was appointed Deputy Public Safety Director–Captain and Officer Brian Franck was promoted to Sergeant at a ceremony at the April 18 City Council meeting. McAlister was promoted to the position vacated by Director of Public Safety Pete Koerner’s appointment.

McAlister began his career with the Cottage Grove Police Department in 1998 as a police officer/paramedic after working for North Ambulance in Robbinsdale, MN. He has held multiple positions and specialties since then including patrol officer, field training officer, multi-family housing, reserve officer liaison, SWAT operator, investigator, patrol sergeant, and most recently detective sergeant. McAlister will be assigned to special services/administrative division which includes investigations, school resource officers, support services and community affairs. His wife, Josie, pinned his badge at the ceremony.

Franck served four years active duty as an Infantry Rifleman and another seven years in the Marine Corps Reserves as a Military Police Officer. Franck began his law enforcement career in 2006 as a patrol deputy with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office before starting with the Cottage Grove in 2009. During that time he has served as a firearms instructor, field training officer, SWAT operator, SWAT sniper, juvenile detective, and most recently as the school resource officer at Park High School. Franck will complete the school year at Park High School and will transfer to the patrol division in June. His wife Heather pinned his Sheriffs badge on him in 2006, his daughter Ellie pinned on his Cottage Grove badge in 2009, and his son Sam pinned on his Sergeant badge.